Reviews

I just finished re-watching this film and I came to MDL page then Shock! There’s no review for this legendary action film? It looks like I have to change that.

Let me keep this review shorter than most of my other detailed long ones. This is a classic action film produced in Hong Kong by the master John Woo and it’s definitely one of his better works to date. When I say action, I target every meaning behind the word. This is the epitome of the action genre that puts the majority of Hollywood action films to shame.

Is there a plot? Not really, is there realism? Heck no! The guy fires hundreds of bullets without even reloading, what common sense are you talking about? But who cares about that? The lovers of the genre don't watch for the plot or for realism, what matters in action films is the intense style of violence, bullets flying and once again violence! This is an extreme action film where everyone holds a gun (or two) and fire until they die. People are everywhere, explosions, motorcycles blowing up in the air, cars exploding and bombs. It’s all there, the camera was everywhere and those slow motion scenes are just magnificent. Nothing less from John Woo’s explosive directing style.

The main leads are cool just like John Woo’s typical main leads. The acting is superb, on one hand there’s the great Chow Yun Fat that lacks recognition and on the other hand, there’s the well-known great Hong Kong star Tony Leung. It’s a dreamy powerful combination that allows John Woo to make use of the brotherhood theme that he loves so much. There’s also a nice performance from Anthony Wong as the bad guy but he falls behind compared to Yun Fat and Tony.

Watch this if:
-You love action films because this is one of the best.
-You’re looking for action entertainment.
-You like John Woo’s films (especially his HK ones).
-You like any of the cast.

Do not watch if:
-You dislike violent films because this is the essence of violence.
-You’re looking for a certain plot because there’s nothing special in this film’s story.
-You dislike the genre action.

So why does this get a 9/10 from someone who’s very cheap with his ratings? It’s because I am an action junkie and Hard Boiled is one of the best Action films ever made in the history of cinema, PERIOD.

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This drama got me hooked from beginning to end.I binged watch the first ten episodes in just one day. I commend them for their acting especially the male lead.
Zhang zhe han never failed to surprise me. He can portray characters who looks really cold and tough.I remember him as Prince Qin in his previous drama and it was good to see him back in a modern drama .He looks dashing with his new hair. His eyes are very expressive.
I loved how adorable the Lou Xi is.I became her fan the moment I saw her onscreen. She has a natural charm and no doubt she will land in more bigger roles.
But damn I had no idea Riley speaks English well and being raised in Canada he speaks smoothly. Not really a fan of him but he can really act. The only character that annoys me was Wena and i think she was so good playing the spoiled rich princess.
Tao Lun and Wena are supporting characters but their characters exist for a reason and they are part of the main conflict of the story.
Though Zhang Min replaced Tao Lun and perform his duties as a son but his father never treated him well. I feel sorry for him because he was living a dual life and was deprived of his right to live as Zhang Chi.
Family problems really gets complicated and as you grow older you are left with no choice but to protect the ones you loved.
He had to protect his mother at the same time lived as someone else's son.
Tao lun was still very fortunate because he had foster parents who really loved him.
But when you think of it Zhang Min and his mother suffered for losing Tao lun.
The ones greatly affected are the children.

I strongly recommend this drama and I am loving the natural chemistry of the leads. The way he stares at her makes me melt. Where could I find a boyfriend who looks at me the way he looks at Lou Xi.

The plot seems cliche but the pacing and storyline is good. Just the right amount of sweetness and angst.I'm gonna miss this drama.

So if you ever watched a melodrama and wants to brighten up your mood you should check this out.


The ending was a bit rushed and the real culprit apologized for his mistake in just one episode and it was over.They could have done a lot in a 36 episode drama.It gets draggy the moment they found out the real Zhang Min.
I want a better ending but I am more than happy to see the leads ending up together.

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I'm giving this a high rating, because this two-episode series (less than 30 minutes) says more than many series with 12 or more episodes.

For me, the actor who plays Neung is fantastic. I hope we see him in more roles, he really is THAT good.

The story is powerful in a lot of ways. Neung has a girlfriend, he gets drunk one night with his friend Keng and they have sex. The next day they are hanging out with friends and the two of them are very awkward with one another because of what happened. In private, Neung and Keng argue and Neung claims he's not gay and storms out. Later, the two of them get together again and, after what seems to be some S&M foreplay, they spend the night together again. The next morning they are really happy and Keng gives Neung a key to his apartment.

Word gets around that the two of them are together and Neung is confronted by his good friend Tui (and two others), with Tui saying he won't be friends with someone who is gay... all three of the friends desert Neung, who goes back to the apartment, only to find an empty apartment and a note from Keng, saying he has to go to a new school, but he is leaving the apartment to Neung with the memory of the time they spent together. Neung is devastated.

Neung goes out walking near a bridge, and Tui and the other friends approach him and apologize. Tui is especially affectionate and he and Neung end up as a couple after that. The End.

I've heard some viewers resent the fact that Tui "suddenly turns gay" after he shuns Nueng. But I see it differently:
many young gay men in the closet are the first ones to turn against and make fun of other gay people, because they themselves are struggling. It's not nice in any way, but it's a process that a number of gays go through.

There is also a nice metaphorical touch, involving two fish in a tank at the apartment.

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After watching the first season I wasn't sure how I'd like this one. But I was surprised and found myself actually enjoying this one just as much if not more. One this is for sure - you don't have to watch this series in order. While the story is quite similar to the first season - it's a whole new group of students and therefore new stories, new problems.



While the original Gokusen had popular names such as Matsumoto Jun and Oguri Shun, Gokusen 2 has Kamenashi Kazuya, Akanishi Jin, Hayami Mokomichi, and Koike Teppei. For those who've seen the first Gokusen you'll find familiar faces also among the cast - and a return of Kuma! One of my favorites from the first season, I was happy to see him return in Gokusen 2!



The acting was great, I loved the entire cast!



The music wasn't anything special - the theme song changed from "Feel Your Breeze" to "No More Cry" at the end which wasn't a bad song. I loved Kamenashi Kazuya's "Kizuna" that was played during the drama, though (:



I can see myself rewatching this drama sometime, but probably not for a long time.



Overall - I enjoyed it just as much as the first season. For those of you who have seen the first season - you won't be disappointed with this one. For those who haven't seen any of the seasons yet but are curious because you like the cast - watch it! (:

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I rarely watch dramas longer than 16 episodes by myself. Although I have watched several longer dramas, this is usually with friends who help keep me interested and engaged. However, I watched all 30 episodes of ISWAK and 20 episodes of They Kiss Again on my own, and have since re-watched them several times. I really only have one favorite drama in the different drama genres, and this show (both season) is my absolutely favorite sweet romance. Having watched Playful Kiss first, I was curious to see how this version told the story. I immediately fell in love with the characters in the first season, but I was still worried that the second season would not live up to my expectations. All too often, second seasons falter behind the amazing quality of their predecessors and I am frequently left disappointed. However, I was delighted to discover that this was not true with They Kiss Again. If anything, this story was actually better than the first. It Started With a Kiss gets the main characters together, but They Kiss Again shows them developing their relationship. This isn't the normal story where everyone is more or less perfect and the amazing guy marries that perfectly sweet girl who finally got prince charming. The charm of They Kiss Again is the fact that Zhi Shu and Xiang Qin are more than half of their own problems. Zhi Shu is emotionally stunted, and has to learn that there is beauty in Xiang Qin's simplicity. On the other hand, Xiang Qin has to learn to stand on her own two feet. They learn that they both have weaknesses and that marriage is about learning to love and accept those weaknesses. I have rarely seen such excellent story and character development, particularly in a second season for a show. This is beautifully written, and I freely admit that I still go back to my favorite parts (which I have bookmarked) whenever I need a pick-me-up. This is sweet, charming, intelligent, and well worth the time to watch. It's romance, but it is thoughtful romance. I truly love this show and I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the first season

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Glorious dreams, strong women and their 100/10 chemistry

A dream of splendor is adapted from the opera "Zhao Pan Er Feng Yue Jiu Feng Chen" (赵盼儿风月救风尘) written by Guan Han Qing.

Characters and Plot —
The drama revolves around three ladies Zhao Pan'er, Sun Sunniang, Song Yinzhang and the "living devil" Gu Qianfan. Zhao Pan'er is the strong backbone of their friendship who is intelligent and good in tea art. She uses her dancing skills to serve tea and her wit and ways of creativity wonders everyone. Sanniang is her close friend whose cooking skills are inferior to none while Yinzhang is a talented girl who will be seen carrying a pipa around often. Her pipa music is as magical as Sunniang's pastries. And Gu Qianfan is the cruel yet nice commander of capital security office.

A Dream of Splendor radiates women empowerment, women teamwork, a woman's self respect and how women can excel in everything. Our leading ladies aren't easy to be fooled, they have their strengths/weaknesses and they go through thick and thin together. They have self respect and just because she was once a "pariah" doesn't mean she doesn't deserve respect and is not capable.
(Pariah – a low status of woman back in ancient China who were performers or prostitutes who were looked down on by everyone)
Their sisterhood is another delightful thing to watch here. I can't forget to mention Zhaodi, she entered late in the group but I like her supportive character. So, if I have to rate the female centered plot, it's 9.5/10, almost everything I expected.

Along with this we have a good political plot going on which is more like a side topic, not too complicated, rather light and less angsty. Of course except that one mean guy I wish I could kill him in the starting. He's just so despicable, absolutely selfish.

Their Chemistry —
Zhao Pan'er and Gu Qianfan together are like two people who will give up anything for each other. Their concept of using yellow flowers to express "I miss you", their eye gazes, their longing, their protection for each other and just them being is love is everything. Small moments between them fill you up like a scene where he is applying medicine on her face (even I felt like a third wheel between them let alone other characters xD)

Humour —
We have Chi Pan who is amusingly naughty with lame, childish acts but his words and expressions often bring fun in the drama. And he's such a cute crybaby haha.

Cast/Acting —
• Liu Yifei – I came to this drama for her as she was returning to dramas after a long time and I am still impressed with her acting. Also isn't she so gorgeous in every frame. Her eyes, body language and this aura is strong just like Zhao Pan'er.
• Chen Xiao – Gu Qianfan is a great character and Chen Xiao also looks great in this role. His styling or I don't know what but he often reminded me of Prince An (Wang Ziqi) in the Imperial Coroner.
• Ada Liu – Sun Sunniang is such a cheerful lady with strong hands. Ada Liu suits for this role. All her strong moments like throwing someone in the river or showing off some butcher skills came out perfectly.
• Jelly Lin – I never had a good experience with Lin's dramas, most of them are like dropped after some episodes but somehow I liked her here. When she played pipa as Yinzhang, she looked so cool and her cute dimples work for me!
• Dai Xu – Finally! Chi Pan is my second favorite character after Zhao Pan'er. Just the comedy he adds and Dai Xu's expressions are out of this world. Would love to see more of his works in future.

OSTs —

1. Jane Zhang (张靓颖) - ♪Spare No Time♪ (不惜时光) …a slow and sublime song that ends every episode beautifully.

2. Liu Yuning (刘宇宁) - ♪Meng Hua♪ (梦华) …with the spirit of fighting all the troubles together and Liu Yuning's voice makes this song more special.

3. Sunnee (杨芸晴) - ♪What Year Is Today♪ (今夕是何年)
4. Kiki Wei (魏奇奇) - ♪Nian Nian♪ (念念)

5. Rachel (银临) - ♪The Red Apricot Branch Is Full Of Spring♪ (红杏枝头春意闹) …the song representing their ups and downs and the longing for hope.

To conclude, what's worth watching the most in this drama —
⛧ character development of three ladies starting from scratch
⛧ strong female characters
⛧ the chemistry between Gu Qianfan and Zhao Pan'er
⛧ great supporting characters and friendship/sisterhood/companionship
⛧ Chi Pan (Dai Xu) as a comedy factor.
~ A Dream of Splendor is recommended!

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Definitely not for the ones who want to watch romance.

This drama i feel keeps going back and forth and there is too much sorrow in it. Espically with Ye Ji. She's going through so much and towards the end it feels like she didnt actually even love Jin. Hwan's feels were understandable but Ye Ji, to some extent kept leading him on. This drama started off good and smooth but then it started taking too many leaps and I felt like it was running somewhere. The actors have done a brillant job. Espically Jin's was a difficult one to potray because of his leg conditiin but Seok Jin did a wonderful job in convincing the audience.

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Who doesn't love Hwang Jung-Min. Goo Dong Baek-sshi is my HERO!!!
This is the only KDrama that I have watched the entire series at least 4 times, True Story. And would watch again if I can learn to stomach his selfish co-workers, but no, I cant forgive them. The story so sweet that I'm crying as I'm writing this review, *I need a tissue.*

This is the drama to watch if you are looking for a simple love story that is not based on "star-cross lovers", or pre-destined love or fate; but a love that forms from the realistic development of feelings and affection, combined with a character so unreal that he challenges you to examine yourself. With familiar classic components of a romantic KDrama, that thankfully did not overshadowed or ruined the performance delivered by a great actor.

I, 100% recommend this to anyone.

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Like everything that Ninagawa Mika does, "Followers" is totally an aesthetic, a way of life. From the music, to the visuals, to the fashion, this drama tells the story of powerful women who strive to live by their own rules. Society admires them because they live by their own rules, and yet at the same time, tries to control and tear them down for the same reasons - much like social media, which serves as a tool for and metaphor of the larger narrative. The cast is absolutely fantastic, a wonderful assembly of character actors, particularly in Mari Natsuki, Itaya Yuka, and Kaneko Nobuaki. The pacing of the drama is perfect for Netflix, which allows you to sit and watch it in one sitting (which I did!); I imagine it might feel longer if watched drawn out. Overall, very enjoyable and definitely left me feeling inspired and empowered!

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The marketing team on this movie must have had one hell of a headache trying to figure out how to make it accessible to a wider audience. They obviously didn't succeed seeing as there was almost no noise about this movie at the time of its release. And that's a shame, considering how well-crafted and intelligent it was.

It actually operates on a conceit that's fairly common these days; the non-linear yet interconnected vignettes that coalesce into an overarching plot. Oftentimes, in these types of films, the actual story is less interesting than the way it's assembled. Take for instance, Christopher Nolan's Memento (2000), which was fascinating for its accurate and chilling portrayal of the nature of retrograde amnesia but would have been merely a middling crime thriller if assembled in chronological order. However, other films use this plot technique in order to symbolically resonate with the themes presented in the story, such as Marc Webb's charming (if a bit precious) (500) Days of Summer (2009). Fish Story definitely falls into the latter category and (at least for me personally) does even a little bit more.

I love the Butterfly Effect. Not the crap film starring Ashton Kutcher but the actual phenomenon. It's something that, when portrayed right, can be smart and gripping. Fish Story uses the medium of urban legend to give some physical form to the theory and to trace the evolution of a myth and its implications for the fate of humanity. It sounds a bit ludicrous and melodramatic, but the film is so self-assured that you really can't doubt its intentions, ones that become more and more believable as the film progresses. And, if all of that sounds lacking in proper gravitas (which it sort of does, on paper), the film also has a recurring theme of resilient underdogs who emerge triumphant or at least at peace at the end of the day. As such, even if the main story doesn't float your boat, there will be definitely something to appreciate in the smaller arcs.

Lest that all might seem a bit stuffy, the film actually has a good sense of humor. One that's a little self-deprecating and rife with situational irony. It might not be a laugh out loud comedy, but it will definitely elicit a wry chuckle or too here and there at the expense of some of the more hapless characters. Which, come to think of it, is essential in a film like this. It's not hard to become pretentious when using this particular film-making conceit, but Fish Story so easily circumvents this pitfall because it knows how to laugh at itself.

Is it the best film ever? No. It's probably not even the best film in its niche genre, but it's definitely safe to say that it stands in the top ranking for being the most fun and the most exhilarating. And also for having a great song. If you're into punk or j-rock, Fish Story (the song) is a satisfying reason enough to give this film a spin.

Tl;dr? Watch it for some intelligent fun, an interesting storytelling format, and a kickass song.

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Perfection is rare

I started this because of liking both the leads, and they OWNED this. My eyes are still damp from the powerfully moving final few minutes.

It might be a simple story, but it was well told and PERFECTLY acted by the two leads. The movie was FULL of surprises for me, from hearing a voice that "like Faye Wong, but not" and finding out it was Leah Dou :), to the way the story and the story-within-a-story messed with perception and reality, to such emotional effect at the very end.

Award ceremonies get A LOT of criticism for their decisions, and most of it is 100% justified. But sometimes, they get it just right, and these two outstanding actors being made joint winners for this film was not merely the RIGHT decision, it was the only possible one. When trying to decide whether to score this a 9 or to go higher, I realised that was no substantive reason to dock any points, and in terms of its overall impact, if I could score it higher than 10, I would.

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The most relevant word I could apply to this show? Interesting. It's interesting.
Of the romance-related shows to see on Netflix (Terrace House, Ainori) this is definitely the lowest tier. In production value, professionalism, and execution, this show leaves a bit of a poor taste in my mouth. It was filmed in beautiful Okinawa- the scenery and sights are probably the biggest draw here. That being said, you don't see much of it- the entirety of it's 9 episode run-time takes place over the course of 3 days which made it extremely difficult for there to be any romances at all formed over the course of this show.

At the onset, the concept for this show is what really drew me- over the course of the show, each of the 18 contestants (10 men, 8 women- apparently 1 man and 3 women dropped out at the last second) confess their all-consuming "deep dark secret". On this front, the show certainly delivered- at the risk of being too spoilery, things like criminal records, debt, troublesome past relationships, and frowned-upon occupations make up a decent chunk of the secrets. Each one was at the very least slightly surprising, and at most downright scandalous- and while they were all interesting, I found it a little bit insightful into the things that Japan considers taboo enough to be considered a deep dark secret. Regardless of the quality of this season, I would watch another hypothetical season in a heartbeat solely considering the possible secret revelations.

The participants were a real mixed bag- some of them were endearing, kind, or strange enough that I found myself rooting for them, while others I found downright detestable initially. Of course over the run of the series you get to know the lot of them better, so even strong initial impressions are for the most part broken up and you're given a more well-rounded idea of who this person might be. The editing shows very little bias in terms of who they give the most screen-time to, or who gets the most favourable cuts, so that isn't too big of a concern in my opinion. There's really only one or two participants I found to be just straight dislikeable people.

The most difficult part of watching this show was the host(s). While the female host was inoffensive enough, my biggest qualm with her is that she mostly stayed silent while the male host was a veritable trash bag of a human being. Perhaps it was a persona, perhaps not, but his lack of sensitivity and humourless attempts at joking insults were appalling. If you're easily angered by slut-shaming, transphobia, sexism, all that jazz- stay far away. This type of concept for a show could have been done with grace and compassion, but that is certainly not what you'll find here.

Now! For the romance! I had two or three couples I was really, truly rooting for, and some of them even pulled through! This show isn't completely unsatisfactory in that sense. But there are one or two people I felt very sorry for by the end, so get really to feel a certain amount of sadness mixed in with the ups of the couples. I don't think any of the couples that ended up forming were framed or set up by the production crew, however I feel like the crew may have had a general idea as to which couples they wanted to pair up based on their similar backgrounds and secrets.

TL;DR: A decent enough show to pass the time, but it might annoy the hell out of you. Don't take it too seriously or expect a masterpiece, and you might even enjoy it.

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Such a HUGE disappointment (do not waist time with this one)

It has been a long time since I posted a review. I've watched quite a few different dramas that I felt I had to go and write a review about it as soon as I finished watching, but I never did. This time I was so disappointed and frustrated with the ending to be more exact that I couldn't hold myself and I had to write about what I feel. I can even accept the fact that the writing was not that good when being a screenplay writer is part of the story line. I can even accept that there were so many things that felt short, unfinished, not even necessary, but to not even satisfy with a good ending or at least a more normal ending, that I have a hard time to accept. I considered Raphael first male lead and Kang Jae the second male lead based on the synopsis.
First, I have to say that the connection between the couples was not quite there, or for me was not equally the same. Oh Woo Ri and Lee Kang Jae even thought they were dating for so long I really didn't feel them as a couple. Maybe because I didn't like the male, I didn't warmed up to him. Oh Woo Ri and Raphael I felt them a little bit more and maybe just because the way the part was written for them but I know they were not quite perfect either. They were talking about a first kiss, he was talking about believing that faith has somebody better for him and because the way they filmed the moments between the two, with all the memories and the dreams they both had and the fact that she even reached to kiss him first which she did not do with Kang Jae, made me believe that she liked him more or at least she was feeling more attracted to him. The connection between her and Kang Jae felt awkward and cringe worthy at times, like the time they hold hands in the car and then they said they have to go pray because they held hands for too long. I mean what the heck.......... what is that? With the relation between her and Raphael I thought since the writers were pointing out that he didn't grow up with the type of family he always wanted, they will give him the family he was dreaming of by keeping him together with her. But to my disappointment it didn't happened.
Second thing that bothered me was the way I felt the two male leads were portrayed at times, and to me it looked like they were both stupid.
Third and not last thing that bothered me, but this really frustrated me was close to the end when they were both trying to win her back it was not fair that Raphael did not get one chance not even one chance to talk to her alone, but Kang Jae did have that chance at the memorial of his parents. After that the next day at her mother proposal party she had her mind made up. That was not correct if you want to give them both a fair chance. And the whole complications that are going to arise from having the baby with one guy and being married to another guy. Why do you have to complicate that baby's existence? I don't understand why? If you emphasize the fact that the female lead and Raphael had a first kiss and then a baby together, than why don't you keep that baby's parents together? Why put it in the movie, if you are going to throw the connection between them out the window? Even more, they also emphasized the connection that was building between FL and Raphael with all the times he was there to save her, and they still didn't end up together. I really do not see the point of having those scenes. I've seen dramas before where I wanted the FL to end up with the second male lead, but this was not one of them because of that baby which she should have had her both parents. If you have the pen in your hand and you write the ending, then why not keep families together? For the FL lead since she was a virgin, she would have been better paired with a man that had more experience and proof is the honeymoon moment when you have two virgins trying to do the grown ups thing and just ended up being another cringe worthy - I want to throw up moment. And don't even get me started on the stupid friendship between Kang Jae and Raphael. That was another moment that I felt I was going to throw up. Really? Really? Really writer or writers? I mean you have them fighting over FL like two roosters just to make them best friends? Really? Really? I am shocked that this script was even approved to make it to the screen. I can just keep going on, and on, and on but I'm too frustrated and the drama doesn't deserve my energy to continue writing.

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Highly offended

This drama was such a disappointment. As a sick person, I was excited to find a drama where the lead is sick. The first ten episodes were fine, the story was as I expected and the acting was good. I binged watched most of it as quick as I could. But then the massive plot twist happened.

/SPOILERS/

I was appalled to discover that he had manipulated the whole situation, making her believe she was life-threateningly ill and that he was her only saviour. Making her beg him to save her live and forcing a marriage onto her, to satisfy his crush on a girl he had never previously met.

How could anyone forgive this? This would have been such a great drama had they just not made it all a lie. I watched this ages ago, but keep returning to lower my score for it because not only was the twist poorly written, it upset and angered me like no other.

I'm not sure if 'triggered' is quite the right word to use, but for me, someone who has had to come to terms with having a disease, watching this drama brought up so many negative emotions. I was so excited to see a sick character, that when the twist happened, I felt so angry that they ever thought that this story was acceptable.

The acting and delivery in this drama was not bad, I could barely fault it in that aspect, but this drama became tainted for me the moment they decided that it was acceptable to have a character forgive someone for making them think they were sick. And not just that, the guy was crazy! He stalked her for two years and then even set up elaborate plans where she was hospitalised so he could fraud her into a marriage with him. This drama tries to subtly put a blanket over the deep issues over emotional abuse, and I can't see how anyone could accept how the story played out.

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